Two types of relationships, communal and exchange, are distinguished and research on the conditions affecting willingness to give help and willingness to accept help in these two types of relationships is proposed. Exchange relationships are characterized by benefits given to eliminate debts and/or benefits given which carry an obligation to return a benefit of comparable value. Communal relationships are characterized by members' concern for one another's welfare and aid being given in response to the other's needs. Members of communal relationships are also assumed to avoid any impression that they are following exchange rather than communal norms for the giving and acceptance of benefits. Six studies are proposed. One focuses on whether people actually do have relationships with others which fit our definition of communal and exchange relationships, and one focuses on whether people can be led to anticipate these types of relationships with others in a laboratory setting. Two focus on the implications of the communal exchange distinction for the condition affecting the giving of help, and two focus on the implications of the distinction for acceptance of help. Plans for research beyond the term of the grant on the potential applied value of the proposed research for tutors, counselors, social service workers and others in fields in which the giving and acceptance of help are important are discussed.